Douluo : Capture the goddess starting from peerless tang sect

"Qian Ran, who should I trust?"

On one side was Qian Ran's logical analysis; on the other was the years of mentorship and guidance Mu En had provided. If emotions were set aside, Qian Ran's words undoubtedly seemed more convincing and logical. But how could anyone bear it when the person they'd respected most all along suddenly turned into their enemy?

"You should trust yourself. Deep down, you know who's right," Qian Ran stated, merely offering an analysis. For all he knew, Zhang Lexuan's family might have been destroyed by the Xu family. Either way, Zhang Lexuan's bloodline was certainly extraordinary. If she returned to the Sun Moon Empire, there might be some clues she could find from Kong Deming.

It would be interesting if he could pull Kong Deming over to Zhang Lexuan's side. Then, once he pursued Ju Zi, he could gradually nibble away at Xu Tianran's army. With combined efforts inside and out, maybe they could even orchestrate an empress's ascent to the throne.

The idea... Qian Ran found it delightful.

"Qian Ran, how do you know so many secrets about the Sun Moon Empire?" Zhang Lexuan was beginning to think of him as a prophet. Despite his youth, he seemed to know more than she did.

"I started covertly investigating when I learned of Senior Sister's martial soul, which is how I know." Many in Shrek Academy already suspected that a vast power backed him, including Tang Ya, Jiang Nannan, and the other women who accompanied him daily.

So, Qian Ran used that suspicion to cover up some of the unreasonable things about himself. By attributing all the unusual aspects to a large, mysterious organization, everything seemed to make sense.

The Phoenix Divine Flame he wielded, for instance—while Ma Xiaotao had been surprised, she hadn't doubted it. Since Yan Shaozhe also suspected a great power behind Qian Ran, Ma Xiaotao merely marveled at his impressive background.

"You're really mysterious. I'd love to know who's behind you; it feels like they're even more formidable than Shrek Academy." Zhang Lexuan took a deep breath, burying her doubts deep within her heart. She would never reveal these secrets unless she had enough strength herself. Although she doubted Mu En, she couldn't let him notice her suspicions; the consequences could be disastrous.

"Hehe. Well, they are a bit stronger than Shrek Academy," Qian Ran chuckled. With Qian Renxue, the Ice Emperor, and the imminent arrival of the Snow Emperor, even the three of them together could easily overpower three Limit Douluos. Not to mention, Qian Renxue had already infiltrated the Holy Spirit Cult and might eventually seize control of the entire organization.

As it stood, the forces behind Qian Ran were formidable. Even compared to Shrek Academy, it was only in foundation that they lacked; in terms of high-end combat power, they'd already left Shrek Academy in the dust.

When he finally freed the Snow Emperor, if Mu En tried anything shady, Qian Ran could teach him a lesson.

"Well, maybe I'll have to rely on you by then," Zhang Lexuan mused, unsure if Qian Ran was being truthful. But she was alone in this world, and Qian Ran was her only possible ally.

"Of course. We're on the same side now. Senior Sister, you don't still have feelings for Bei Bei, right?" Qian Ran thought he was quite brilliant. Zhang Lexuan's feelings for Bei Bei were likely just a sense of gratitude toward Mu En.

Now that Mu En might have wiped out her entire family, there was no question of repaying such kindness—only vengeance.

Besides, Bei Bei wasn't exactly an ideal partner.

"What do you think?" Zhang Lexuan pinched Qian Ran's waist sharply. Here she was, dressed like this and spending time with Qian Ran, and he still thought she might like Bei Bei? If she were still interested in Bei Bei, would she have come to the lakeside in such a revealing bikini?

"I just wanted to confirm! So, does that mean Senior Sister is mine now?" Qian Ran's eyes sparkled. The seeds he had sown were finally bearing fruit.

After days of relentless efforts, Zhang Lexuan's heart was beginning to soften.

"What do you mean, 'I'm yours'?" Zhang Lexuan chided him playfully.

Could she really be his? Did he really have such a strong sense of possession?

Had she actually decided to be with him?

With so many people already surrounding Qian Ran, she shouldn't have gotten so close to him. But with Qian Ran barging into her life unexpectedly, she had no defenses left and could only choose to surrender.

"You're mine, and I'm yours." Qian Ran pulled Zhang Lexuan close, wrapping his arm around her slender, snowy-white waist. Her soft, pale skin captivated him, and the sight of her bikini-clad curves made it hard for him to look away.

Now that their feelings were clear, Qian Ran made no attempt to conceal his gaze.

The gentle curves of her waist and her slightly toned, snow-white legs added a touch of mature charm. Combined with her innate cold, noble aura, Zhang Lexuan exuded a unique beauty that was both regal and alluring.

Completely drawn in, Qian Ran leaned closer to Zhang Lexuan, savoring her fragrance, feeling as though he had reached the pinnacle of bliss.

"You're not mine. You belong to Tang Ya, Jiang Nannan, Wang Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, and those countless other women." Zhang Lexuan's frustration showed as she twisted Qian Ran's skin again. One couldn't trust a single word that came out of a man's mouth.

Qian Ran was undeniably a huge scumbag.

"How do you know all that? Did you, Senior Sister, always plan on 'older women with younger men'?" Qian Ran winced as Zhang Lexuan increased her grip, and he dared not make any more moves.

"It's clearly you…"

Qian Ran was lusting after her body, yet he had the nerve to accuse her of seducing him. Zhang Lexuan opened her mouth but found herself speechless in front of Qian Ran's sly logic.

"Tell me, how many women do you actually have?" Zhang Lexuan changed the subject, though she knew him well enough. Still, she had no clear idea of how many women were in his life. There were undoubtedly more than four.

Qian Ran was a rascal. Who knew which girls he'd sneaked into the beds of?

If he was shameless enough, it wouldn't be surprising if all the girls in their class fell for his charm.

As a girl, Zhang Lexuan was well aware of Qian Ran's appeal. Even though she was much older than him, she struggled to resist his allure. Among the girls in his class, there was likely not one who hadn't entertained thoughts of him.

"Not that many! Really, not even a few. I'm quite self-restrained; it's not like I'm a machine." Qian Ran felt that Zhang Lexuan misunderstood his character.

Counting carefully…

Aside from the four already in his grasp, there was Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan, who'd already confessed her feelings, and his lovely teacher Xian Lin'er. Other than these, he hadn't managed to pursue anyone else.

The Ice Emperor, a nearly 400,000-year-old soul beast, would be no easy conquest. Ning Tian was ready to fall for him, but he had a plan to capture both her and Wu Feng, although he hadn't made his move yet. As for Ma Xiaotao, things were still in the preliminary stages.

So, at most, there were only six.